Science news

• 'Snow Moon' Eclipse & Green Comet a Double Treat for Skywatchers (Photos, Video)

  11-02-2017 19:27
  
  The full Snow Moon spent over four hours gliding through Earth's outer shadow, or the penumbra, causing a large portion of the moon to appear darker than usual. As the comet glowed at its maximum brightness, skywatchers could get a rare glimpse of the beautiful, green comet with binoculars and telescopes. You can see a video of Comet 45P here, courtesy of the Slooh Community Observatory.
  
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• Cyprus tests to see if remains of missing were misidentified

  11-02-2017 18:20
  
  NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A committee uncovering the fate of hundreds of missing Greek and Turkish Cypriots said Saturday it's examining whether past DNA tests on unearthed remains were incorrect, resulting in individuals being misidentified.
  
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• New Zealand whales: Frantic bid to save stranded mammals

  11-02-2017 15:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The mass stranding of whales on a remote beach in New Zealand has taken a turn for the worse as 240 more arrived.
  
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• Iraqi policeman killed in clashes with pro-Sadr protesters

  11-02-2017 14:58
  By Maher Chmaytelli and Saif Hameed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi policeman was killed and seven others wounded in clashes with protesters loyal to prominent Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr who had gathered in Baghdad on Saturday to demand political reforms, the interior ministry said. Police tried to disperse them as they attempted to cross the bridge that links Tahrir Square in central Baghdad and the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings, embassies and international or
  
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• 6 killed as strong quake strikes southern Philippines

  11-02-2017 14:37
  
  A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least six people and injured more than 120, with officials combing through cracked buildings and nearby towns Saturday to check on ...
  
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• Actual snow is falling in many parts of the UK and the excitement is real

  11-02-2017 14:33
  
  Even if the amount of snow is, well, a little underwhelming in places…
  
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• Iraq security forces fire tear gas at pro-Sadr protest near Green Zone

  11-02-2017 12:14
  Iraqi security forces fired tear gas on Saturday at thousands of supporters of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrating near the heavily fortified Green Zone - a cluster of embassies and government buildings - to press for reforms, witnesses said. Riot police fired tear gas when they tried to move toward the Green Zone which also houses international organisations. Sadr's supporters stormed this district last year after violent clashes with security forces.
  
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• Powerful quake kills at least 6 in southern Philippines

  11-02-2017 10:32
  
  A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least six people and injured more than 120, with officials combing through cracked buildings and nearby towns Saturday to check on ...
  
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• More whales strand in New Zealand, bringing total to 650

  11-02-2017 09:38
  
  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A new pod of 240 whales swam aground at a remote New Zealand beach on Saturday just hours after weary volunteers managed to refloat a different group of whales following an earlier mass stranding.
  
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• Minor earthquake hits Taiwan, injuring 4

  11-02-2017 08:16
  BEIJING (AP) — Taiwanese authorities say a minor earthquake hit the southern part of the island early Saturday, injuring four people.
  
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• New Zealand rescuers form human chain to help stranded whales

  11-02-2017 07:19
  By Harry Pearl SYDNEY (Reuters) - Whale rescuers in New Zealand linked arms in neck-deep water on Saturday to try and prevent about 200 pilot whales from stranding themselves again in a remote bay, where 300 of the animals died this week. The incident, in the shallow muddy waters of Golden Bay, at the northwest tip of South Island, was New Zealand's largest known whale stranding since 1985, when 450 of the animals were stranded in Auckland, and the third largest on record. A group of about 100 v
  
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• Australia battles 50 fires in heat wave, sparking warning, blackout fears

  11-02-2017 07:15
  By Harry Pearl SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian emergency services were bracing against "potentially catastrophic" fire conditions on Saturday, as firefighters battled nearly 50 blazes in the state of New South Wales, sweltering in a heat wave sweeping the country's east coast. Weather officials fear temperatures could hit 48 degrees C (118.4 F) in some areas, setting a record for the state's hottest February day ever. People have been banned from setting fires, and some major sports events have be
  
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• Nighttime Philippines quake kills at least 6, damages runway

  11-02-2017 06:54
  
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least six people and injured more than 120 others, as officials on Saturday combed through cracked buildings looking for more casualties.
  
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• Iranian baby with heart defect to undergo surgery soon

  11-02-2017 06:29
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Iranian infant soon will have life-saving heart surgery in Portland after she was temporarily banned from coming into the U.S. by President Donald Trump's immigration order.
  
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• Couples, friends show similarity in personality traits after all

  11-02-2017 06:00
  
  (Association for Psychological Science) Friends and romantic partners tend to have certain characteristics in common, such as age, education, and even intelligence -- and yet, research has long suggested that personality isn't one of these commonalities. But a new study, using behavioral data gleaned from social media, shows that people are more like their friends and partners than previously thought. The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psycholog
  
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• Nighttime Philippine quake kills at least 4, injures 126

  11-02-2017 05:10
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least four people, injured more than 120 others, damaged buildings and an airport and knocked out power, officials said Saturday.
  
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• Night Sky Webcasts: Comet 45P Views & Snow Moon Lunar Eclipse by Slooh

  11-02-2017 05:10
  
  (Update for 11 pm ET: Slooh's webcasts have concluded.) The online Slooh Community Observatory will host live, back-to-back webcasts on Friday (Feb. 10) to discuss the first lunar eclipse of the year and the close approach of Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusáková. At 10:30 p.m. EST (0330 GMT), Slooh will focus on Comet 45P, which will come closer to Earth than any other comet in the last 34 years. You can go to Slooh.com to join and watch this live broadcast, snap and sh
  
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• Nighttime quake in Philippines kills at least 3, injures 80

  11-02-2017 02:48
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful nighttime earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least three people, injured about 80 others, damaged buildings and an airport and knocked out power, officials said Saturday.
  
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• New Zealanders refloat 100 pilot whales after 400 stranded

  11-02-2017 01:55
  
  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Volunteers in New Zealand managed to refloat about 100 surviving pilot whales on Saturday and are hoping they will swim back out to sea after more than 400 of the creatures swam aground at a remote beach.
  
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• Sacrificing California spillway may avoid emergency releases

  11-02-2017 00:19
  
  OROVILLE, Calif. (AP) — California may avoid emergency releases from a rain-choked reservoir by further sacrificing a rapidly deteriorating concrete spillway while still protecting Oroville Dam, state officials said Friday.
  
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